Logrolling

Logrolling is a colorful phrase used to describe trading of votes by legislative members to obtain passage of actions of interest to each legislative member. The term is also used for similar activities in academics, notably the "cross quoting" of papers in order to drive up reference counts.

Related Topics:
Votes - Legislative - Passage - Academics - Reference

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The phrase is likely derived from the old custom of neighbors assisting each other with the moving of logs. If two neighbors had cut a lot of timber which needed to be moved, it made more sense for them to work together to roll the logs – if you'll help me roll my logs, I'll help you roll yours.

Related Topics:
Custom - Neighbor - Timber

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The Nuttall Encyclopedia describes logrolling slightly differently, as "mutual praise by authors of each other's work."

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Spy Magazine ran a feature titled "Logrolling in Our Time" where suspicious or humorous examples of mutually admiring book jacket blurbs by pairs of authors were cited.

Related Topics:
Spy Magazine - Book jacket - Blurbs

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